PROJECTS
MEATI PACKAGING PHOTOGRAPHY
Project Type: Commissioned Agency-Led Packaging Project
Design Partner: Smith Design
Featured Brand: Meati
Industry: Plant-Based CPG
Services: Packaging photography, product photography
Deliverables: Front- and back-of-pack imagery
Applications: Retail packaging, ecommerce, digital marketing
THE BRIEF
Smith Design hired me for a packaging photography project for Meati's mushroom-based vegan cutlets. The visuals were going directly on retail packaging, both front of pack where strong product presence is essential, and back of pack with plated imagery that shows how to use the product.
The work needed to be precise, appetizing, and consistent across SKUs to support both shelf presence and digital representation.
THE PLAN
We shot over two days in Smith Design's in-house studio. Smith Design handled all the art direction and food styling, both in pre-production and on set. Working in their production environment meant we could align creatively in real time and make sure the photography would integrate smoothly into the final packaging design.
Texture, lighting, and placement were critical. Each cutlet variety has a distinct surface, from craggy breading to herb and pepper crusts. I sculpted the lighting to emphasize these details for strong shelf presence and tactile appeal.
For the front-of-pack shots, I needed clear, bold presentation that reads at small size under the bright light conditions typical of retail environments. For the back-of-pack plated shots, we designed compositions that show how the product performs in context. Careful lighting and composition made the food feel appetizing without distracting from design elements.
I shot each cutlet slice individually to give Smith Design maximum flexibility in final layouts and packaging crop decisions. I focused on the photographic execution while Smith Design handled final retouching and packaging integration to maintain their design system coherence.
THE RESULTS
The final imagery became the visual foundation for Meati's updated packaging. The front-of-pack shots deliver strong product presence that reads clearly at shelf scale, while the back-of-pack plated visuals communicate usage and appetizing detail.
The images are now in use on retail packaging and support digital presentation across ecommerce and marketing channels, giving Meati both consistency and impact in how the product is seen.
Client MEATI | Agency SMITH DESIGN | Food Styling SMITH DESIGN
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